ACT EXPERTS - Alliance of Construction Trades

SUMMER 2008 Page 13
ACT EXPERTS
ACCOUNTING / BOOKKEEPING
Beach, Fleischman & Co., PC
Bob Harbour 520-321-4600
Hernandez & Symington, LLC
Sonia Hernandez 520-742-5600
ATTORNEYS
Durazzo & Eckel, P.C.
Pat Durazzo 520-792-0448
Neal Eckel
Law Offices Of Terry P. Esser
Terry P. Esser 520-742-6388
Morris, Hall & Kinghorn, PLLC
Rusty Rollins 520-320-5100
Thompson Law Group, P.C.
Lisa Thompson 520-882-5633
The Udall Law Firm
Thom Cope 520-623-4353
AUTOMOTIVE / COMMERCIAL NEW
& USED TRUCKS
Allstate Vehicles, Inc.
Jim LaFave 520-795-8686
Arizona Work Trucks
Nick Esparza 520-495-0134
Enterprise Commercial Trucks
Josh Groch 520-807-0606
Holmes Tuttle Ford
Scott Patty 520-292-3631
Jim Click Ford Commercial Sales
Mark Ochoa 520-975-8213
Oracle Ford Mercury
Patrice Ross 520-818-3673
Rush Truck Center, Tucson
John Loy 520-884-5870
Watson Chevrolet
Clay Jackson 520-918-6284
BANKING & FINANCE
American Home Mortgage, Corp.
Krissy Stroup 520-548-3639
Canyon Community Bank
Chuck Luhtala 520-529-5500
Lease $mart
Gary Greene 520-628-9929
National Bank of Arizona
Tom Dolan 520-519-2955
CELLULAR / INTERNET ACCTS
Verizon Wireless
Jason McGrath 520-437-2539
COLLEGES / VOCATIONAL
Pima Community College
Wayne Brubaker 520-206-7191
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Gary Andros, PLLC
Gary Andros 520-419-5742
COMPUTER SOFTWARE TRAINING
Accounting Technology Systems, Inc.
Lori Nicks 520-886-6811
CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION
Blue Book of Building & Construction
Mark Nordstrom 520-490-5112
Shirley’s Plan Service
Shirley Dail 520-791-7436
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSULTING
Old Pueblo Benefit Advisors
Victoria Hawks 888-977-5901
EMPLOYMENT ADVERTISING
Jobing.com
Doug Mayes 520-434-2000
EXTERMINATING
Burr Exterminating
Bruce Burr 520-628-1951
FINANCIAL & ESTATE PLANNING
Brann Financial Services
Max Brann 520-400-4629
Harry S. Lodge and Associates, LLC
Harry S. Lodge 520-733-1112
Martin McClarron
FLEET VEHICLE REPAIR/
MAINTENANCE & SALES
Arizona Work Trucks
Nick Esparza 520-495-0134
Brake Max
Rod Jahnz 520-229-9380
Family Auto Body/Truck Center
Joseph Sorce III 520-889-2777
Gallo Transmissions
Teresa Gallo 520-623-0644
Holmes Tuttle Ford
Scott Patty 520-292-3631
Integrity Automotive
Don Meeker 520-531-0120
Oracle Ford Mercury
Patrice Ross 520-818-3673
Rush Truck Center, Tucson
John Loy 520-884-5870
Watson Chevrolet
Clay Jackson 520-918-6284
FORKLIFT REPAIR
Greene Enterprises Material Handling
Joe Morton 520-790-8803
GPS SYSTEMS
Ready, Set, Go GPS
Don Mastrangelo 520-575-2885
HEALTH SERVICES
Concentra Medical Centers
Melissa Molina 520-889-9574
INSURANCE & BONDS
Aflac
Michael D’Angelo
Debi Garrett 520-579-1883
American Family Insurance
Tom/Jacki Pitzer 520-531-0393
Brann Financial Services
Max Brann 520-400-4629
Colonial Supplemental Insurance
Henry Chacon 520-319-9320
Compass Insurance - Mueller Division
Cody Ritchie 520-784-7654
Jason Prosser
Farmers Insurance
Brian McQuiston 520-886-5486
Federated Insurance
Jonathan Fretz 520-440-0905
GBP Risk Solutions
Larry Beach 520-571-7737
Harry S. Lodge and Associates, LLC
Harry S. Lodge 520-733-1112
Martin McClarron
Koty-Leavitt Insurance
Lloyd Koty 520-571-1900
Lovitt & Touche Insurance
R. J. Riley 520-722-3000
Mahoney Group
Bill Stanley 520-784-6688
SCF Arizona
Gary May 520-292-4097
LIEN SERVICES
AZ Lien Services, Inc.
Lil Stephens-Murray 520-293-2503
Lien & Bond Service
Kevin Krause 480-505-2170
Van Rylin Associates
Tina Adams 520-797-0797
ext102
OFFICE COPY MACHINES
CB Document Solutions
Richard Pesqueira 520-989-3232
PAYROLL SERVICES
ADP
Ashley Weed 520-609-4681
Amcheck
Tom Bowden 520-975-9332
PLAN SERVICES
Shirley’s Plan Service
Shirley Dail 520-791-7436
PRINTING SERVICES
ADSPECS Marketing
Victor Lord 520-579-5761
International Minute Press
Greg Michael 520-885-0717
Mitzi Mallon
Print Room, The
Tom Koflanovich 520-327-5354
Scott Blue Reprographics
Tessy Manuel 520-327-6700
Shirley’s Plan Service
Shirley Dail 520-791-7436
Vector Impressions, Inc.
Wally J. Smith 520-888-5433
PROMOTIONAL ITEMS /
AWARDS / APPAREL
ADSPECS Marketing
Victor Lord 520-579-5761
Double “R” Promotions
Ron Reyna 520-322-0370
Garment Graphics, LLC
Scott Polston 520-544-0529
Glass Blasters, LLC
Erika Jansen 520-745-2010
Jobsite / Western Warehouse
Dirk Gibbons 520-293-1808
Marco Romo
Minkus Advertising Specialties
Bruce Minkus 520-326-6708
Vector Impressions, Inc.
Wally J. Smith 520-888-5433
PUBLICATIONS /
ADVERTISING
Blue Book of Building & Construction
Mark Nordstrom 520-490-5112
IAPMO
Dwight Perkins 503-307-9944
SAFETY CONSULTANTS
Powers Safety Services
Sharon Powers 520-591-6647
SANITATION /
WASTE HAULING
Saguaro Environmental Services
Carey Bryan 520-574-3532
Jeff Gilmore
TRADES STAFFING
Aerotek Commercial Staffing
Christian Verdugo 520-745-4715
CES America
David Lukaszewski 800-462-5185
CLP - Skilled Trades Solutions
Sophia Harper 520-889-8100
Command Center
Adam Schoen 520-887-0961
Labor Ready
Doreen Boucher 520-546-1790
Primavera Foundation, Inc.
Sarah Murphy 520-882-9668
TRAINING SERVICES
Total Training Solutions, Inc.
Amzell Magaletti 520-721-2274
M EMBERS DOING BUSINESS WITH MEMBERS

Page 14
SUMMER 2008
Welcome New Members!
Able Refrigeration Inc.
HVAC
Carol Hull
P.O. BOX 11309
Tucson, Arizona 85734
Phone: (520) 883-7558 Fax: (520) 883-9040
Email: hullable@aol.com
Website: www.ablerefrigeration.com
Brown Wholesale Electric
Electrical Supply
Steve Hopkins
1050 S. Plumer Ave.
Tucson, Az 85719
Phone: (520) 623-6941 Fax: (520) 623-5040
Website: www.wesco.com
HVF West, LLC
Scrap Metal Recycling
Carlos Ruiz
6581 E. Drexel Rd.
Tucson, Az 85706
Phone: (520) 750-9454 Fax: (520) 750-9448
Email: carlos@hitempmetals.com
Southwest Home and Health, Inc.
Framing
David Bowser
P.O. BOX 1377
Sierra Vista, Az 85636
Phone: (520) 378-3008 Fax: (520) 378-2712
Accounting Technology Systems Inc.
Accounting Software Business Consulting
Lori Nicks
8440 E. Marlena Circle S.
Tucson, AZ 85715
Phone: (520) 886-6811 Fax: (951) 346-4189
Email: lnicks@ats-consult.com
Family Auto/Truck Center
Automotive Maintenance,
Collision Repair, Tire Center
Joseph Sorce III
3340 E. Mossman Rd.
Tucson, Az 85706
Phone: (520) 889-2777 Fax: (520) 889-9001
Email: info@familyautobody.com
Website: www.familyautobody.com
Ram Plumbing inc.
Plumbing
Ramon Carrasco
P.O. BOX 26385
Tucson, Az 85726
Phone: (520) 747-8089 Fax: (520) 748-1573
Email: aaaplumbers@cox.net
The Udall Law Firm
Attorney
Thom Cope
4801 E. Broadway Blvd. Suite 400
Tucson, AZ 85711
Phone: (520) 623 4353 Fax: (520) 792-3426
Email: tcope@udalllaw.com
Website: www.udalllaw.com
Advanced Masonry LLC
Masonry Contractor
Bobby Holt / Gene Kiley
1918 W. Price St.
Tucson, Az 85705
Phone: (520) 888-2200 Fax: (520) 408-0709
Email: advmasonryllc@qwestoffice.net
Website: www.advancedmasonryllc.com
Farmers Insurance/Brian McQuiston
Insurance
Brian McQuiston
4775 E. Camp Lowell
Tucson, Az 85712
Phone: (520) 886-5486 Fax: (520) 886-5487
Email: bmcquiston@farmersagent.com
Website: www.farmersagent.com/bmcquiston
Old Pueblo Steel Inc.
Steel Fabrication
Cary Tantlinger
10622 E. Mary Stephy
Tucson, Arizona 85747
Phone: (520) 390-0396 Fax: (520) 867-8664
Email: oldpueblosteel@gmail.com
Water Tec International
Water Filtration
Arturo Gonzalez
350 E. Irvington Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85714
Phone: (520) 790-3222 X103 Fax: (520) 790-1514
Email: arturog@watertecintl.com
Hard Hat News Member Correction: Tucson Restaurant Equipment & Service/SW Installations’ website and email address were incorrect in our last
issue. Their correct information is: jeffmarkham@tresco.net, www.tresco-southwest.com.
Pre-Publication Special
ACT is offering a pre-publication special on our soon-to-be
published book, Construction Law From Legal Experts, an
anthology of essays and articles originally produced for the
Hard Hat News.
The book is the work of five attorneys, all experts in the field of
construction law, who collectively have more than a hundred years
of legal experience in dealing with construction issues.
It covers subjects such as liens, pay-when-paid issues, bidding
problems, contract terms, documentation, timely payments, claims
for lost profits and defect litigation.
Construction Law From Legal Experts is the work of Neal Eckel
and Patric Durazzo of Durazzo & Eckel, PC; Terry Esser of the
Law Offices of Terry P. Esser, PC; Lisa Thompson of the Thompson
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They’ve updated or annotated material to reflect changes in the
law that may have taken place since the articles were first created,
but much in the book is timeless information that can be applied
today to help make your business successful tomorrow.
Use the form below to reserve a copy — or several — at the special
pre-publication price of $13.95, a 30% discount off the retail price
of $19.95. Don’t delay; ACT today.
Order Online
www.actaz.net or fax 520-624-3049
Please reserve ________ copy(ies) of Construction Law From Legal
Experts for me at the special pre-publication price of $13.95 each.
I understand that no invoice will be sent until the book(s) is shipped.
DATE
NAME
COMPANY
ADDRESS
CITY/STATE/ZIP
TELEPHONE EMAIL

SUMMER 2008 Page 15
Added Benefits for Members
See other special coupons at: www.actaz.net
ADSPEC Marketing
your source for promotional items
ACT Members Special
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Contact Victor Lord at (520) 579-5761
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Creco Rentals
10% on All Week or Longer Rentals
$250 Minumum Rental
Limited to stock on hand
919 W. Silverlake (29th)
Tucson, AZ
(520) 882-9590
Coupon Expires December 31st, 2008
Jobsite/Western Warehouse
15% discount to all ACT members
and VIP customers
4640 E. Broadway
Other locations: Ajo & I-19
Oracle & Prince
Broadway & Jessica
Phone: (520) 327-8005
Fax: (520) 293-0178
mmgr203@btwwretail.com
www.westernwarehouse.com
Lien & Bond Services
ACT Members only!
$17.00 per notice!
For additional information contact:
Kevin Krause, VP Director of Marketing
Lien & Bond Services, LLC
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www.liensandbonds.com
Kevin@liensandbonds.com
BORDER CONSTRUCTION
SPECIALTIES
ACT MEMBER DISCOUNT
10% WITH THIS COUPON
(520) 623-4100
Miracle Mile & I-10
pre-quoted products exempt
jhorn@bordercorp.com
Glass Blasters
Let Us Blast Your Glass!
Bring this coupon in with your next order
of 36 or more pieces and receive a
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Phone: (520) 745-2010
Fax: (520) 745-2024
Email: glassblasters@aol.com
www.glassblasters.com
Labor Ready
$50 Off On 8 Hours Of Use
2554 N. 1st Ave. - (520) 670-9363
5807 E. 22nd St. - (520) 546-1790
2418 S. 6th Ave - (520) 629-0924
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Contact Doreen Boucher
email: dmboucher@laborready.com
website: www.laborready.com
Old Pueblo
Benefit Advisors
Free COBRA Inquiry
& Free Labor Posters
to ACT Members
9136 E. Valencia #110-87
Tucson, AZ 85747
Phone: (888) 977-5901
Fax: (520) 300-6134
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Vector Impressions
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Phone: (520) 888-5433
Fax: (520) 888-0856
Brann Financial Services
Providing ACT Discounts
Long Term Care Insurance up to 35%
Individual Disability Insurance 10%
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Jessica Atkinson
atkinson@repsrv.com

Page 16
We’ve Seen It All Cont. from p.3
ness quickly outgrew its location.
“We were stuffed with stock
everywhere, including my garage at
home,” Marla says. “We just had to
find more room. So, we moved into
this location in 1992, and it’s starting
to feel cramped already, too.”
Turning Contacts Into Customers
When Precision Tool opened
its doors in the
1980s, it was truly
the new kid on
the block. Even
though Marla had
a lot of contacts,
they were customers
of her previ-
ous employer. The
new company had
the daunting task
of letting a booming
market know it was open for
business.
“I hired a friend of mine to go out
and distribute line cards,” Marla
says. “She was energetic and bold.
She’d stop at jobsites and put our
line cards on the windshields of
trucks; she’d stop and talk to people
having lunch. We had little money
but we had a lot of energy and contacts.
“Our message was simple: Free
jobsite delivery and repairs,” Marla
adds. “When my old company went
out of business, it left a void in the
Tucson area and we worked hard to
fill it.”
The copper mining industry was
at its peak in the 1980s, and one of
the industry leaders, Magma Copper,
was on Precision Tool’s doorstep.
One of Precision Tool’s first target
accounts was this mining giant.
“My friend had no clue as to what
the copper mines might want or
need, but she was determined to go
after that business,” Marla recalls.
“She’d get past the guard shack, put
on her safety gear and go anywhere
--the electrical shop, the mechanical
shop, the carpentry shop, the communications
center--she had no fear.
And, she began writing orders!”
The copper proved to be a precious
metal to Precision Tool. The mines
consumed tools and fasteners by the
truckload. “When they endorsed us
as a supplier, we became instantly
viable throughout the area,” Marla
points out.
Natural Progression
As Precision Tool settled into the
business, the competition decided to
go after a piece of the action as well.
The Tucson area has the usual list of
suspects, including The Home Depot
(with six locations in the Tucson
area), Lowes, White Cap and Hilti,
plus several smaller independents.
“While we have competition from
companies like the Home Depot,
they send us a lot of business, too,”
Merry points out. “I think it’s because
so many of their people don’t
really know what customers need–or
Everyone works the counter.
Here, Anna Woodward and
Tony Minopoli share the space.
don’t know they have it in their store
- so they send them to us.”
The days of line cards under windshields
are behind them, but the Tool
Ladies don’t miss an opportunity to
get their name in front of would-be
buyers. Today’s marketing plans
include radio and television as well
as an expanding presence on the
internet.
“We use a lot of radio advertising,
especially linked to University
of Arizona
sports,” Merry
explains. “We
start in August
with a football
package and go
right through
March Mad-
nessbasketball. We’ve
developed some
strong relationships
with about five vendors
who have stepped up to fund the
programs–they work for us and the
vendors.
“One of the local television stations
has a program called “My
Home Improvement” and we do
some promotional ads with them.
The ads direct people to the My
Home Improvement website, where
they can ask experts building questions.
From there they can contact us
as one of the experts. We get 10-second
spots on prime time television
plus the website reference.
“We know it’s contradictory to our
customer base–we aren’t looking to
do business with homeowners–but
we’ve found it has been very, very
successful in building name recognition
among our true customers. It
has worked to get new customers
into the store and regular customers
in more often,” Merry continues.
The staff rotates around the store’s
Saturday morning hours so everyone
works a Saturday from time to time,
and these weekend mornings are
the time when they expect to get the
strangest questions from the homeowner
audience.
Next Step: Cyberspace
Expanding the Precision Tool
footprint on the World Wide Web is
the next major marketing plan on the
drawing boards. “We get calls and
emails referring to our site,” Merry
says, “So we know people are seeing
it. Now, it’s time to take it to a whole
new level--where we can take and
fill orders, and things like that.
“We’ve had discussions with a lot
of people and know it takes a real
commitment and a staff dedicated
to keeping it timely and responsive.
We’re not quite ready to take that
step yet, but it won’t be long.”
In the mean time, there are more
traditional plans on the table, too.
Expanding the footprint of the business
in the community is high on the
list as space is again at a premium.
And that may include a satellite store
in the Tucson area as well.
“If we had more room right now,
we’d have a complete apparel section,”
Marla points out. “We’ve
discussed it for years but agree that
it’s an area where you just can’t
dabble. You’ve got to be in or out
completely with plenty of inventory
and a good selection.”
The rapidly growing segment of
performance wear, along with more
traditional clothing options, has given
this idea more impetus recently.
“Guys hate to shop, so wouldn’t it
be great to be able to come in to get
a drill or nail gun repaired, buy some
blades and drill bits and a complete
jobsite wardrobe?” Marla observes.
Is that just a woman’s perspective?
Maybe, but the Tool Ladies have put
themselves on the map with a business
run by a nucleus of women.
“Tucson may be unique,” Marla
explains, “because it seems there
have always been a lot of women in
this business here. Our sales manager,
Maggie Mozingo, started in
the rental business in the 1970s, and
we’ve had a woman mechanic for
almost 10 years.
“We didn’t plan to have a company
run by women,” she continues.
“It just worked out that way. Heidi
Woods, our inside sales manager, for
example, is Merry’s daughter and
when she graduated from college
she came to work here “for awhile.”
She’s really taken to the customer
interaction and has learned the business,
and stayed.
“We’ve been fortunate to find
highly qualified, knowledgeable
people who just happen to be women,”
she concludes.
Strong Industry
Network
Early in their
careers, both
Marla and Merry
recognized the
value of building
a strong network
within the industry.
For the Tool
Ladies, that has
meant developing
a professional relationship
with STAFDA and Sphere
1.
Marla’s first employer introduced
her to STAFDA in the 1970s and she
attended her first convention in the
early 1980s.
“When I started Precision Tool,
one of the first official expenditures
was a membership in STAFDA - it
was a great way to get connected
to the key vendors we needed and a
way to tap into the best business information
in the industry. STAFDA
and its members are the eyes and
ears of this industry.”
Marla is currently a member of
the STAFDA board of directors. “I
remember when they asked me. I
wasn’t sure why. What could a small
distributor offer?” she recalls. “It has
been such a good thing for me and
this company. The members of the
board have become a true sounding
board. They’ve all been through ev-
SUMMER 2008
ery up and down imaginable. It’s like
having a whole team of consultants
just an e-mail or phone call away.”
While a totally different organization,
the Tool Ladies consider
the company’s affiliation with the
Sphere 1 buying group to be of equal
importance.
“Hindsight tells us we should have
joined Sphere 1 when we first had
the chance,” Merry says, “but we
waited to be sure it could do what
it promised. Again, the best thing
about this organization is the networking,
business connections and
problem-solving power of the membership.”
Celebrating its 20th year in 2008,
hindsight also shows that Precision
Tool hasn’t missed many opportunities,
and the Tool Ladies aren’t likely
to miss many in the years ahead.
Green’ is Golden
In today’s building environment,
anything “green” can be worth its
weight in gold. A prime example is
the development of one of the greenest
building projects in the country
right in the backyard of Precision
Tool & Construction Supply in
Tucson. The Lee H. Brown Family
Conservation Learning Center at
Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo is likely to
receive platinum status from the U.S.
Green Building Council - the highest
possible commendation.
It’s ‘Green to the Extreme
What makes this building so ecofriendly?
Start with recycled blue
jeans for insulation in the ceilings,
2,000-gallon “rain barrels,” recycled
glass for countertops
and
furniture made,
in part, from
recycled milk
jugs. There are
solar panels on
the roof, the
A bright, wide open counter area invites customers
in from the Tucson sunshine where they can get
questions answered, parts ordered and
a look at the latest in power tools.
walls are foam
filled with
concrete and all
the paints are
clay-based and
nontoxic.
The 10,000-square-foot two-story
building has been developed with all
the latest in technology and will be a
showcase for decades to come. This
building is “green to the extreme.”
While the Tool Ladies from Precision
Tool didn’t play a major roll
during construction, Marla Endicott
is on the board of directors of the
Tucson Zoological Society, and this
highly visible position, along with
regular projects on the campus of
the University of Arizona, serves the
company well in a marketing and
public relations capacity.
Reprinted with permission from Construction
Distribution.
Editor A. D. ‘Butch’ Horn,
butch.horn@cygnusb2b.com
www.constructiondist.com

SUMMER 2008 Page 17
Many of us have planned for
our business before we even
started. Others took on the
task after opening and realized that a
plan was a necessary evil to running a
successful business. For others, a plan
never materialized in a formal way, but
the business took on a life of its own.
Without a plan, we operate in a reactive
mode rather than positioning to
handle the changes in the external environment.
The business plan you did
or did not do, while a living document,
is a form of strategic plan. If you don’t
have one, now would be a good time to
take a look at and come to understand
what your business has become.
You don’t have to kill a tree or shut
down the office for a week to create a
successful strategic plan. In fact, you
can create a successful plan for your
business in just one day. It doesn’t have
to be an overwhelming or a monumental
task. It doesn’t have to be perfect
or fancy. Just grab a few key people in
your organization, turn off the phones
and get started.
Step One–Be the Best
The result of a well-developed and
executed strategic plan is to develop a
competitive advantage. Just what is a
competitive advantage? Business lingo
aside, it is simply the answer to: What
can your company potentially do better
than any other company?
Understanding your competitive advantage
is critical. It is the reason you
are in business. It is what you do best
that draws customers to buy your product/service
instead of your competitor’s.
Extremely successful companies deliberately
make choices to be unique
and different in activities that they are
really, really good at and they focus all
of their energy in these areas. You may
decide to incorporate your competitive
advantage into your mission and/or vision
statements.
Step Two–State Your Purpose
A mission statement is a statement
of the company’s purpose. It is useful
for putting the spotlight on what business
a company is presently in and the
customer needs it is presently endeavoring
to serve. It also serves as a guide
for day-to-day operations and as the
foundation for future decision-making.
To write a mission statement, answer
the questions: What is our business?
What are we trying to accomplish for
our customers? What is our company’s
reason for existing?
Step Three–Visualize the Future
A strategic vision is the image of a
The Ten-Step, One-Day Strategic Plan
A Simple Way to Keep Your Business on Track
company’s future–the direction it is
headed, the customer focus it should
have, the market position it should try
to occupy, the business activities to be
pursued, and the capabilities it plans
to develop. Forming a strategic vision
should delineate what kind of enterprise
the company is trying to become and
infuse the organization with a sense of
purposeful action. Think big! To write
a vision statement, answer this question:
What will our business look like
in 5 to 10 years from now?
Step Four –Take an Inventory
The SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, Threats) analysis helps
you look critically at your organization.
It is a tool to help produce a good
fit between a company’s strengths and
its opportunities.
Assess your strengths and weaknesses
by answering these questions: What do
we do best? What do we not do best?
What are our company resources–assets,
intellectual property, and people?
What are our company capabilities
(functions)?
Assess your opportunities and threats
by answering these questions: What is
happening externally that will affect
our company? What are the strengths
and weaknesses of each competitor?
What are the driving forces behind
sales trends? What are important and
potentially important markets? What is
happening in the world that might affect
our company?
Step Five–Profile Your Customers
If you want to move your company
from being successful to wildly profitable,
you need to meet your customers’
needs and wants better than your competitors
do. Develop a customer profile
by answering: What are our customers
needs, motivations, and characteristics?
How do we uniquely provide value
to our customers? What should we
improve to grow our customer base?
Step Six–Write Your Goals
and Objectives.
Goals and objectives are like stair
steps to your mission and vision. Realistic
goals and objectives are developed
from the SWOT analysis and customer
profile. Objectives set the agenda, are
broad, and global in nature. Write two
to five objectives that give action to
your mission/vision and will take a
few years to achieve. Then, develop
goals to achieve each objective. Goals
should be measurable, quantifiable and
support your objectives. Think about
achieving them in a one-year timeframe.
Effective goals must state how
much of what kind of performance
by when is to be accomplished and
by whom. Make sure both your goals
and objectives build on your strengths;
shore up your weaknesses; capitalize
on your opportunities; and recognize
your threats.
Step Seven–Assess Your Resources
Now that you have completed your
goals and objectives, it is time to do a
resource assessment.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks
to all well laid strategic plans is time
and money. As with every business,
budgets are never big enough to do everything
you want to do. Prioritize key
goals by asking: Do implementing the
goals make financial sense? Do you
have the human resources to achieve
your plan?
Step Eight–Take Action
Tactics set specific actions/action
plans that lead to implementing your
goals and objectives. Basically write a
to-do list for each goal. A quick way
to develop your tactics is to answer
this question: What roadblocks exist to
achieving my goal? Use the answer to
develop action items for each goal. Assign
responsibilities and deadlines to
ensure implementation. A great method
to get buy-in from your staff is to
assign a goal to each employee. Ask
him/her to write the action plan and be
responsible for making sure each task
is accomplished.
Step Nine–Keep Score
In step six, you wrote goals that were
measurable. Put these measurements
and targets on a scorecard (in Excel),
which acts as an instrument panel guiding
your company towards achieving
your vision. With the scorecard, you
can actively track your progress on a
monthly basis.
Step Ten–Make Strategy a Habit
A leader devoted to the successful
implementation of the strategy and
plan is key. The plan needs to be supported
with people, money, time, systems,
and above all communication.
Communicate the plan to everyone in
your organization. Hold a monthly or
quarterly strategy meeting to report on
the progress toward achieving the goal.
Don’t forget to take corrective actions
when needed and adapt as the environment
changes.
Conclusion
My last word of advice is that a plan
is a living document. It does not have
to be perfect or 100 percent complete
to start using your strategic plan. A
business without a plan is like a car
without a steering wheel. A rough draft
is better than no plan at all. Put your
plan on paper so you can look back on
2008 and celebrate your well-earned
success. Happy Planning!
Remember when you first started
your new business? You were excited
and raring to go! You printed business
cards, you created a business name and
decided how much money you wanted
to make. Then there was the honeymoon
period. You were excited to get
out of bed in the morning, get to your
computer, make those appointments
and follow up with new clients.
Then you found yourself tired, cranky
and discouraged with the way things
were going:fewer and fewer appointments,
less energy and even less enjoyment
with what your business is.
What Happened?
What happened is that you did not
have a vision for your business. What
is a business vision and why do you
need one, you ask? A business vision
is how your business not only impacts
you, but also the world. With a business
vision everything you do each and
every day supports you to go forward,
achieve what you want, yet still benefit
others.
Simple visions are the best. The easier
they are to communicate to someone,
the more essential they become to you
and your business. You need a vision to
be more effective, more desirable and
more attractive to your clients or customers.
Clarity is the key in a simple
vision. Yet, a simple vision can be very
profound.
Remember Mother Teresa? She
wanted to help the poor and ultimately
became a saint in the Roman Catholic
Church. It all started with a simple vision:
easy to communicate to others
and her willingness to do whatever it
took to get her vision seen and heard
by others.
So will you. You too will get your vision
heard and seen by others.
“With a true business vision, all your
decisions are easily made, because all
your decisions are in alignment with
your vision.”
“What Am You Going to Do Today?”
When you wake up and get out of bed
and ask yourself, “What am I going to
do today?” the existence of a business
vision reduces this ever-present stressful
question.
Everything you do, the people you
talk to, the clients you attract are all a
result of your vision. Why? You have
strategies to support your vision.
The more powerful and vivid the vi-
TEN STEP Cont. on p.18

Page 18
TEN STEP Cont. from p.17
sion, the more opportunities occur to
create the strategies to build your business
success.
Real vision is about the dream: it is
what you truly want your business to
be. Vision with a capital V is about
the impact your business will have on
your community, the world and your
life.
Clarity Business Advisors is dedicated
to providing business owners practical
advice that works. If you find that
you are facing issues that prevent you
from being as successful as you’d like,
or have lost the fun of owning a business,
we can help. Give us a call and
schedule an initial evaluation of your
situation.
Many business owners feel isolated
and are interested in having others
with whom to share some of the pain
and achieve some gain in overcoming
business obstacles. Clarity brings you
a “Board of Directors,” an option not
usually available to small and medium
size business owners.
An Accredited Associate of the Institute
for Independent Business
Clarity Business Advisors
520 405-9333 chucknickel@
claritybusinessadvisors.com
Contact Chuck Nickel
chucknickel@
claritybusinessadvisors.com
www.solarstore.com
(520) 322-5180
2833 N. Country Club (N. of Glenn)
Mon - Fri: 9:30am - 5:30pm
Sat: 10:00am - 3:00pm
ROC 164744 / ROC 164742
The Hillbilly Vasectomy
After their 11th child, an Alabama
couple decided that was enough because
they could not afford a larger
bed.
So the husband went to his veterinarian
and told him that he and his
cousin didn’t want to have any more
children.
The vet told him there was a procedure
called a vasectomy that could
fix the problem but that it was expensive.
“A less costly alternative,” said
the vet, “is to go home, get a cherry
bomb (fireworks are legal in Alabama),
light it, put it in a beer can
(COORS), then hold the can up to
your ear and count to 10.”
The Alabamian said to the vet, “I
may not be the smartest tool in the
shed, but I don’t see how putting a
cherry bomb in a beer can next to
my ear is going to help me.”
“Trust me,” said the vet. So the
man went home, lit a cherry bomb
and put it in a beer can.
He held the can up to his ear and
began to count! ‘1’ ‘2’ ‘3’ ‘4’ ‘5’
At which point he paused, placed
the beer can between his legs and
continued counting on his other
hand.
This procedure also works in Tennessee,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas,
Mississippi, Missouri, West Virginia
and Washington DC.
HUMOR
Clean can be funny
One day, a man came home and was
greeted by his wife dressed in a very
sexy nightie.
“Tie me up,” she purred, “and you
can do anything you want.”
So he tied her up and went golfing.
******************************
A woman came home, screeching
her car into the driveway, and ran
into the house.
She slammed the door and shouted
at the top of her lungs, “Honey, pack
your bags. I won the lottery!’”
The husband said, “Oh my God! What
should I pack, beach stuff or mountain
stuff?”
“Doesn’t matter,” she said. “Just
get out.”
******************************
Marriage is a relationship in which
one person is always right, and the
other is a husband.
******************************
A Polish immigrant went to the DMV
to apply for a driver’s license.
First, of course, he had to take an eye
sight test.
The optician showed him a card with
the letters
“C Z W I X N O S T A C Z.”
“Can you read this?”the optician
asked.
“Read it?” the Polish guy replied,
“I know the guy.”
• Tubular Skylights
• Complete Solar Homes
SUMMER 2008
Mother Superior called all the nuns
together and said to them, “I must
tell you all something. We have a
case of gonorrhea in the convent.”
“Thank God,” said an elderly nun
at the back. “I’m so tired of chardonay.”
****************************
A wife was making a breakfast of
fried eggs for her husband.
Suddenly, her husband burst into the
kitchen.
“Careful,” he said, “CAREFUL!
Put in some more butter! Oh my
gosh! You’re cooking too many at
once. TOO MANY! Turn them! TURN
THEM NOW! We need more butter.
Oh my gosh! WHERE are we going
to get MORE BUTTER? They’re going
to STICK! Careful. CAREFUL!
I said be CAREFUL! You NEVER
listen to me when you’re cooking!
Never! Turn them! Hurry up! Are
you CRAZY? Have you LOST your
mind? Don’t forget to salt them. You
know you always forget to salt them.
Use the! salt. USE THE SALT! THE
SALT!”
The wife stared at him.
“What in the world is wrong with
you? You think I don’t know how to
fry a couple of eggs?”
The husband calmly replied, “I
just wanted to show you what it feels
like when I’m driving.”
Harvesting Arizona’s Sunshine....
Owner:
Katharine Kent
• Solar Pool Heating
• Tankless Water Heaters
• Grid-Tie Photovoltaic
• Solar Hot Water

SUMMER 2008 Page 19
Sharon Powers, chair of ACT’s
safety committee, recently
invested more than 20 years
of workplace-safety
inspection experience in
her own consulting business.
The straight-speaking
woman with red hair,
green eyes and purplepolished
fingernails
says she’s always in
safety-inspector mode,
even while shopping.
She regularly works 10hour
days and says her
45-plus clients are old
friends.
After two years on her own as
principal of Powers Safety Services
LLC, she was selected by her peers
to receive a Cornerstone Award.
The award honoring skill and
integrity is given by the non-profit
Cornerstone Building Foundation,
an association of six local trade
groups.
We asked Powers about her career
of working in non-traditional jobs
for women and about starting her
business. Here are excerpts:
Q How did you get started in your
career?
A I’ve been doing non-traditional
Safety Firm Keeps Owner Hopping — and Happy
Inspections, classes mean 12-hour days
Sharon Powers
Chair of ACT’s
Committee
work for over 20 years.
When I was in college I had no
idea what I wanted to do. (I earned
a degree in) physical
education and biology.
I started work in the
medical field. I decided
to go to work for the
copper mines and make
real money like the guys
did.
Now some of the guys
didn’t like that because
they felt we were taking
checks away from guys
who had families. But I
learned lots of lessons
along the way. I learned
how to deal with guys the way they
deal with each other.
Because they knew I had a medical
background and a degree, they
pulled me into the safety department.
(I have) worked for the
state mine inspector and then for
ADOSH (the Arizona Division of
Occupational Safety and Health).
I was the first woman hired by
ADOSH for the Tucson office.
Q What do you do for your clients?
A I’m like their part-time safety
person. We keep track of the accidents,
we monitor if they’re having
too many, we take care of all of
their training and their safety programs.
“We” is me, myself
and I.
I average three to four construction
sites a day at least three to four
days a week. I enjoy it — even
when it’s 110 (degrees) out.
I taught at Pima Community College
and I also do private classes
through the trade associations.
Q What’s it like running your own
show now? And how did you make
that transition?
A A lot of people had said to me all
along: “You should have your own
business. Why are you working for
(a company)?” I couldn’t imagine
not working for someone else. What
I tell the guys now is: I work for a
lot of someone elses.
(When I quit my last job) I didn’t
know what I was going to do. The
next morning, I turned around and I
called every one of my clients. My
schedule’s busy. I said, “Look, I’m
no longer with so-and-so, if you
still want me to do your work I’ll be
glad to. It’ll take me the next month
to get my contracts and my paperwork
in order, but we can continue
on.”
They keep calling. I have never
had to advertise because it’s all
word-of-mouth.
Border has
material for
ALL of your
forming
needs.
sCurbing
sHandset
sSteel-Ply
Q What do you do besides work?
A Little else (laughing).
I try to take the weekends off
when I can and not touch the computer
at all. Sometimes I have a
Saturday class.
Usually I’m up at 5 and 5 to 7 is a
work time when the phone doesn’t
ring, so I’m on the computer just
sort of getting up for the day. Then
after that I head to job sites or a
training class.
In the summer I’m home earlier.
Usually I’m home between 2 and 4
and then I’m still on the computer
until 6, so there’s a 12-hour day.
But I have free time in between.
I work with horses. I had a mule
for almost 29 years, and she died
in February and I miss her badly.
I do a lot of photography, but I
also do photography at work. And
I like going to craft fairs and that
type of thing. And I like working
in my yard with my citrus trees and
flowers. I like to travel when I can.
Those are my diversions.
Reprinted with permission from
the Arizona Daily Star, printed
06/23/08. Contact Becky Pallack at
573-4224 or at
bpallack@azstarnet.com.
RENTS
CALL US TODAY FOR A TAKE OFF
AND QUOTE
520-623-4100
CONCRETE ACCESSORIES s MASONRY SUPPLIES sREBAR
3143 N. Fwy. Ind. Loop
Tucson, AZ 85705
KNOWLEDGE - TEAMWORK - VALUE BORDER TO BORDER

Page 20
According to the U.S. Census
Bureau, the value of
construction put in place,
excluding single-family residential
construction, was $673 billion in
2007. That’s a lot of work. However,
in today’s economy a contractor’s
ability to secure a fair portion
of that work may be limited in situations
that require surety bonds.
Sooner or later most contractors
will face the requirement to bond
a project. I’ve seen many contractors
miss great opportunities due
to a lack of surety planning. On
the other hand, I’ve worked with
numerous contractors that grew
their business and differentiated
themselves through their ability to
bond work.
Understanding the surety bond
process will give you a head-start
when faced with surety bond requirements.
Surety bonds are credit facilities
(not insurance). Surety companies
guarantee your ongoing success
when they supply you with bonds.
Accordingly, the surety company
will only extend surety bonds to
qualified contractors that are wellmanaged
and financially stable.
The underwriting process evaluates
Surety Bonds
A Beginner’s Overview
a contractor’s capacity, character,
and capital in order to predict
whether the contractor will be able
to complete the bonded obligations.
Underwriters use financial statements,
references, and business
plans among other ‘tools’ to help
assess a contractor’s surety capacity.
The first step toward obtaining
surety bonds is working with a
professional surety bond producer.
A good surety bond producer
will help you to understand and
navigate the intricate underwriting
process. In addition, a good surety
bond producer will provide sound
business advice and introduce you
to qualified accountants, bankers,
and lawyers that understand the
construction industry.
As a final thought for newer
contractors – be proactive in your
approach to surety bonds. Take
steps today in order to qualify for
tomorrow’s bonded contract.
Paul D. Boley, President of the
Surety Association of Arizona,
Regional Bond Manager -
Hartford Bond
SUMMER 2008

SUMMER 2008 Page 21
The Blue Book of Building
and Construction kicks-off
Fall “GC Showcase” -
including local Tucson event!
The Blue Book’s third round of 2008 GC Showcase
networking events will take place in 14 regions nationwide
beginning this September and early October!
A local showcase is planned for Tucson commercial
construction professionals:
When: September 25th
3:00-7:00 PM
Where: Holiday Inn Palo Verde
Over 35 general contracting companies are currently
registered to exhibit and hundreds of subcontractors and
suppliers are expected to attend this free event.
The Blue Book GC Showcase provides a unique forum for
general contractors to exhibit their companies and find
subcontractors and suppliers for their current and
upcoming projects. The local companies who attend have
the opportunity to meet with the buyers and decision makers
responsible for construction projects in their area. There is
no cost to exhibit or attend.
“The Showcase provided excellent opportunities for local
General Contractors to meet each other and to present
their companies. It was also an excellent opportunity for
Story Construction, a new company in the Tucson area, to
become a well-known competitor in the local construction
market. Additionally, we had the pleasure of meeting several
well-qualified subcontractors during the showcase, which
has broadened our subcontractor bid list for future projects.”
– Lawrence W. McManus General Manager, Story Construction
General contractors interested in exhibiting should call:
Melissa Johnson at 520-370-6109

Page 22
SUMMER 2008

SUMMER 2008 Page 23
SAFETY A
SAFETY A
RULES!
Call before you dig.
Before you begin any kind of digging project, it pays to know where underground utility lines are
buried. Because natural gas, electric, water and telephone lines run just beneath the surface of
streets, alleys, landscaped or vacant land, they can be hit and damaged by digging tools.
To prevent unnecessary damage to utility lines, the law requires you to call before you dig. Within
two working days of your call, the utility lines will be marked and you or your contractor can dig
safely. Failure to obtain the proper location of underground utilities is a violation of the law and
could result in signifi cant fi nes and expensive repair bills.
Call your local one-call center.
It’s free. It’s easy. It’s the law.
Arizona Blue Stake
1-800-782-5348

Page 24
Our Business
Is Helping
You Do Yours
What is ACT?
The Alliance of
Construction
Trades is the
only construction
trade association
that concentrates
on the business
aspects of your
firm… the ones
that can make or
break your
business:
P
P
Slow Payment
Retainage
Cash Flow
Insurance Cost
Back Charges
Delay Claims
Litigation
Financing
ACT's growing
membership
includes firms
from virtually
every trade
specialty. ACT
serves over 300
m e m b e r
companies,
which represent
over 6,000
skilled workers.
Why Join ACT?
The construction industry is too tough to go it alone! With ACT, you are not alone. In the
multi-billion-dollar construction industry, it is easy, even common, for specialty contractors
to feel powerless and alone!
Subcontractors and suppliers that belong to ACT know they are part of a local organization
made up of subcontractors, for subcontractors, and dedicated to the unique needs of
subcontractors.
Major changes and reforms so desperately needed in today's construction market can be
achieved, but only if you add your voice to the many subcontractors already active in ACT.
"Strength In Numbers"… that's why all subcontractors from every trade must unite to fight
for their rights. JOIN ACT!
BENEFITS THAT CAN HELP
Help to Stop Bidding
in the Dark!
What's it worth to you - before you pick up plans and
spend time and money figuring a bid - to find out the
business practices of those you are bidding? Do they
shop prices, do they pay on-time, will they negotiate
their contract, what's their policy on back charges, is
retainage fifty cents on a dollar, and does their field
superintendent have knowledge and experience or did
he work at a fast food restaurant two months ago?
Right…it's worth a lot!
ACT's "Business Practice Interchange" contains more
than 850 general contractors, homebuilders and
developers, which allows members to network and
share their actual experiences of those firms with whom
they do business. It is the only way a subcontractor or
supplier can make an intelligent business decision as to
"Do I want to do business with this company?"
ADDED BENEFITS
CT
HELPS your company with business and
safety education by providing the best
seminars, workshops, and materials
available to the construction industry.
CT
HELPS to increase your SCF of Arizona's
workers compensation dividend by
rewarding participating members for their
good safety record by paying an additional
association dividend.
CT
HELPS to provide website & internet
connections as a new means of promoting
your company.
Help to Get Paid!
That's right! ACT works to get you paid. Through
ACT's legislative efforts, laws have been passed that
�continue to work to get you paid.
City of Tucson's "Construction Fairness Ordinance"
is unlike any other construction law in the United
States. The key purpose is to compel prompt
payment of all subcontractors and material suppliers
working on private or public projects within the
Tucson city limits.
�Arizona's "Prompt Pay Statute" that not only allows
subcontractors and suppliers to collect interest on
money owed and attorney fees, but allows
subcontractors to leave a jobsite, with seven day
written notice, when they are not being paid.
Subcontractors cannot be replaced, nor can they be
sued for delay claims.
CT
HELPS to stop unlicensed activity by
being your voice to the Registrar of
Contractors. Executive Director, Jim
Kuliesh serves on the Registrar of
Contractors Statewide Advisory Board.
CT
HELPS to promote "Construction as a
Career" by working with local groups to
expand vocational educational programs so
young people will have the opportunity to
choose the construction industry as a
career.
CT
HELPS to educate owners on how to
construct a building that is built with
quality construction, delivered on time,
within budget, and with no liens or
lawsuits upon completion.
SUMMER 2008
What ACT Members
Have to Say:
“Most of the subcontracting force does
not have enough time to monitor the
legislative activities in our state, cities
and counties. ACT provides the review,
analysis and action plans about matters
that affect subs and their work
environment. ACT saves time; ACT
educates; ACT acts."
— Chuck Freitas, Falcon Pools
“Business ownership has many
advantages and also a lot of pitfalls for
those in the construction industry. Being
a part of ACT allows us to network with
other companies to compare
management practices and other
business elements. Networking has
helped us develop techniques to run
more efficiently and improve our bottom
line.”
— Angie Ziegler, General Air Control
“Safety is a huge issue with ACT and
should be with all subcontractors. ACT
holds monthly safety meetings that
feature speakers talking about subjects
like electricity, driving safety and other
general safety issues. We’ve found that
by improving safety, we’ve reduced our
worker’s compensation and general
liability claims, plus we’ve made our
workers more productive.”
— Gino Sollenberger, Pioneer Plumbing
“ACT's Business Practice Interchange
allows subs the luxury of doing a
background check on a general
contractor or homebuilder in regard to
proper supervision, change orders,
retention, contract language and how
they pay their bills. This is all before you
set foot out of your office. It’s like money
in the bank.”
— Terry Carson, Benchmark Concrete
“The educational seminars sponsored by
ACT, especially those that deal with
contract law and other legal issues
affecting subcontractors, help keep us
abreast of new developments and serve
to make our entire industry stronger.”
— Debbie Lamb, Lamb Excavation
“Through the SCF of Arizona, ACT
provides better value and offers
solutions to the problems facing
subcontractors. After some subs leave
SCF and go to other carriers, they find
out they don’t get the kind of personal,
professional service that SCF gives ACT
members.”
— Doug Jones, Sabino Electric
DON'T WAIT ---- ACT TODAY!
Learn why you should be a member of ACT
Call 520-624-3002 or visit www.actaz.net